The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus and, more particularly, to an endoscope apparatus having an electric deflection mechanism for electrically deflecting an insertion section.
The insertion section of the endoscope is inserted into a body cavity such as a coeliac cavity of a patient and is bent or deflected by an operator, such as a doctor, as needed. An endoscope apparatus is known wherein the insertion section, including a flexible tube, is electrically driven by an electric bending mechanism or electric deflection mechanism in order to improve deflection operability of the insertion section.
The endoscope has an advantage in that the insertion section thereof is directly inserted in the coeliac cavity such as the stomach and intestines for a specific medical purpose. Therefore, the deflection operation of the insertion section of the endoscope in the coeliac cavity must be as precise as possible to guarantee safe endoscopic therapy and to provide technical precision and effectiveness.
According to a conventional endoscope apparatus, in order to deflect the distal end portion of the insertion section which is inserted in a coeliac cavity in a desired direction including four directions (upward, downward, right, and left), at least four deflection control switches which are used to deflect the insertion section in the respective four directions are arranged in the endoscope control section. The operator uses a single switch or a combination of switches among the four switches to deflect the distal end portion of the insertion section in the desired direction.
However, in the conventional endoscope apparatus of the type described above, the switching operation for deflection operation is complex and cumbersome. When the operator, such as a doctor, erroneously presses switches, the insertion section is undesirably deflected in an unexpected direction. Since the insertion section may be deflected too much and/or in an unexpected direction, the distal end portion of the insertion section may touch the tissue of the inner wall of the coeliac cavity. In the worst case, the healthy tissue of the coeliac cavity may be damaged or cut. Since the operability of the control switches for deflecting the insertion section is poor and the rotational frequency of the motor is controlled by the operator, a highly precise and high-speed deflection operation is difficult to perform. As a result, the endoscopic therapy does not sufficiently guarantee technical precision, medical effectiveness, or the safety of the patient.